South Placer Fire District shuts down two stations after voters turn down tax increase
GRANITE BAY — The South Placer Fire District has shut down two fire stations after voters turned down a tax increase.
"If your house is set far back from the street, this ladder is able to reach to your roof," said South Placer Fire District Chief Mark Duerr.
"It's the only one we have in the district."
Chief Mark Duerr says their specialized truck is used for search and rescue, unlike other engines. But it's now on the sidelines amid funding cuts.
Station 19 on Auburn Folsom Road is also closed, along with Station 15 on East Roseville Parkway.
When asked what this means for the community since they will likely see longer response times, Duerr said, "That is a concern. But what we've done is by rearranging our deployment model, we've tried to fill those gaps in."
Chief Duerr blames inflation, rising gas prices, and operations costs, but also voters turning down a property tax increase in June that would have increased the Fire District's funding.
The Mosquito Fire burning just up the hill acts as a daunting reminder of fire risks now with less on the front lines.
